Japan Blog 74 (August 7, 2009) It just doesn't feel real.

It just doesn't feel real. I'm going through each day, well knowing that the days are counting down, each number becoming smaller and smaller. But the realization isn't sinking in. Like, it feels like I'll be hanging out with everyone at school again, laughing with them and talking, going to gym class with them and other boring classes, and whenever we feel like it we'll head to karaoke, take purikura, or something. Like, this is just a really long summer vacation. I had to remind myself at the dinner, "I'm not going to school with these people again", I had to remind myself at the fireworks yesterday, "I won't be visiting these people at random moments again", I had to do so many reminders just to get it through my head. But it's not working. Maybe when I actually start packing my last night. Maybe that's when it'll click and I'll finally be able to cry. But I'd rather much cry in front of my friends, because it can at least show that I cared. For all I know, they may think I didn't care at all about them (my classmates) because I didn't break out in tears like Pat did. I think Kyuudou realizes how much they mean to me, I've praised about them many times and in the school goodbye speech, I said a lot about them. I just want it to finally click. I don't want to keep having this feeling of it not being over just yet. It's such a lie.

In any case, after this blog I'm seeing about 4 more blogs and then this Japan adventure is over. I'll post one tomorrow on just random stuff, and I'll post that last Akko blog that I haven't done yet. Then a blog on my last night here and then my final one will be when I return to America, just to give my final thoughts on the whole experience and just random stuff. It's been fun. I was able to keep this up thanks to all the readers.

So, let's start it off.
I last talked about the Omika Matsuri that I went to with Asami, Tomoka, and Nojiri. Then I had 3 days of nothing. Boring, right? I was bored. But I had to make those towels for Kyuudou. Right, I said hankercheifs but at Daiso (a Japanese Dollar Store) they didn't have any plain ones, so I then decided to make them towels instead. I actually didn't finish until like 2 days ago (I became REALLY lazy) but they came out really cool I think (sorry, didn't take any pictures of them. forgot to) especially by the sound and words that everyone said last night when I handed them out. With the random fun with my 3 friends from the festival again on the 30th, we went to Daiso and took purikura then went to Maruto (a food store) and bought food to make Shaapin. Did I mention about that food in the last blog? It's actually Chinese but at the festival I ate it and loved it and suggested that we should make it. And so that was the plan♥ Go to Asami's and make shaapin!

We actually did a good job at that. It came out reallyyyy good. The plan after that was to go to the Batting Center but it looked like it was going to rain so we had to reschedule for the 6th before the fireworks. So, instead we watched a little bit of a Tohoshinki live concert DVD (Asami LOVES Tohoshinki) and then some weird anime called "The World Of Golden Eggs". It's not some normal anime that anime fanatics watch. This show was just sooo funny. It had English subtitles at the bottom, that's just how the show is, guess to make it seem cool or something. But I couldn't stop laughing. You have to watch ep.14 through 17. Wow. As I was reading the subtitles the word "fugly" came up. Pfft! Who uses that word anymore?? More to the laughter. That day was great♥

I got mail from Yuki and we decided to meet up in Mito on the 31st. I was glad that I actually got to meet her again before I left (Yuki is the the exchange student who went to America 2 years ago). We took puri, went to karaoke, and I must complain about that karaoke place. There was NOTHING, NO songs that I like/can sing in it. 9mm Parabellum Bullet wasn't even in it! What the hell kind of karaoke place is that?! But we had fun. And it gave me another day to get out. So I was pleased♥

Then the 1st was the Rotary dinner.
I quickly wrote down a speech, wore a yukata with Kayo and Mami, and went. I got to see Tonpi and Ai again which was awesome and I really enjoyed talking with Ai again. She can drive now, haha. I also got presents from them, a big Kapibara-san pillow (my Kapibara-san collection just keeps building♥yay!) and a picture frame. At the dinner 3 people came to play some traditional music using an old flute and the koto. The guy played the flute and the 2 girls played the koto. It was really pretty, the tune. I then got to try out playing the koto. I only pulled a string but it was sooo cool. Then I gave my speech, said goodbye, and made plans with Ai to meet with her and everyone (Ai's friends) again. I was really looking forward for that.

Tomorrow I'll say about the other days, and post up the Akko blog.
It'll be long and pictures included, so look forward to it!
And also I forgot to mention, recently I uploaded a new video to my YouTube account! It's just of me and Ikumi walking around our school on the last day, so it's kinda like a tour♥

Japan Blog 73 (July 27, 2009) Don't wanna be anywhere else.

むかつく。今の感じはむかつく。なんで私にもわかんない。でも今全部むかつく。
とにかく、また言う。帰りたくない。この夏休みはすーごい楽しい。みんなと一緒に遊んで、でもね　それはたぶん私もうつぐ帰っちゃうから。でも、その理由だったら、どうでもいい。みんなに会える。違う所でいたくない。ここでいい。それだけほしい。だからね、木曜日、いっぱいことを考えた。あとはね、アンドリューと私、ちょっと似てると思う。いや。似てないかもしれない。でもアンドリューは台湾に行くんだ。うちで帰らない。だからね、たまに同じことを考えるかもしれない。うちはどこ？うちは何？いつも好きな場所？そこで笑える？幸せ？楽？愛する人がいる？何それ？私うちがわからない。意味がわからない。なんで違う所ずっとがいたい？どうして？どこでもいい、韓国、日本、ィグリス、中国、ロシア、台湾、なんでも！でも本当のうちにいたくない。もういいか。いつも泣き言やるだよね。
日本はまだ私のうちじゃないけど　このじこうは幸せ。本当の幸せ。

                              
Starting from Thursday, my schedule:
July
23- BBQ at Asami's with Kyuudou friends
25- Tokyo with Kayo
26- Omika Hanabi Matsuri(firework festival) with Tomoka, Asami, and Nojiri
30- Random fun with Tomoka, Asami, and Nojiri
August
1- Rotary goodbye party
2-3- sleep over at Yumi's grandmother's house with others
5- party at Woody's(a restaurant name) with some classmates
6- fireworks at the ocean with Kyuudou Club friends
7- Sendai Matsuri
8- karaoke with Nozomi, Tomoka, Asami, and Nojiri
9- going to America

I think I'm also doing something with my host family on the 28th but it hasn't been made official yet. Then I have to meet with other people yet who want to go for karaoke. But I never got any texts from them yet on when. But I'm busy as you can see. And on the 8th, I can't be happier. The closest group of people I am with in Kyuudou and probably throughout my stay here, they are the last people I'll be seeing. It's really thanks too for how close they live to me though but Nozomi, on the 25th I went to Tokyo and I got a bunch of texts from her. We were just trying to figure out when we could meet again and do something. But like, it just really sounded that she really wanted to see me again. I was really happy. We had a plan to meet on the 8th but then I already forgot I was supposed to meet with Tomoka, Asami, and Nojiri that day to do something. Crap. So then on our way to the Omika Hanabi Matsuri yesterday I was trying to work around this with them. So, plans changed. on the 8th Tomoka and the others decided that Nozomi can join us in karaoke(karaoke was originally planned for the 30th but it changed for this). And I get to go to karaoke. I wish I didn't have to be home for 6 though for some host family party. I would rather stay with the 4 of them all night. Because, I love them.

I took pictures of the things I've received so far. I'll do that last.

Thursday was great. We were planning on shooting fireworks but Akane had to go to piano class early and since she wouldn't be with us we decided to reschedule that to the 6th. First it was the 5 of us, me, Asami, Tomoka, Nojiri, and Nozomi. We did our shopping and in about 2 hours everyone else showed up. Tomoka and Nojiri went to the station to wait for them and me, Asami, and Nozomi were bored at Asami's house. So, we decided to walk to the ocean. I got soaked, and we found a ball and we kept throwing it into the ocean only for it to come back to us with the waves. We were all screaming "Ganbatte!" so it would float to America, so they were saying haha. It was fun just BEING THERE. My cell phone is still alive somehow, pretty soaked when I took it out of my pocket. When we got back my shorts were bad so I had to change into this ugly pair shorts. When everyone came from the station they must have thought I had pretty bad style haha. When it was explained I changed everyone was like, ahh~.

I introduced everyone to smores. Can you believe they've never heard of them? I personally don't think they were too fond of them though haha. And I also received one last thing from them. They made me a poster board thing where everyone wrote a little something. An ichi-nensei drew the picture of me. It's drawn REALLYYYY good. But it's just wow. Kyuudou Club really... proper words I can't describe. I'm just reading them, going to tears. That day was really supposed to be our last meeting. Misaki, Ikumi, and Wakako gave me letters.Wakako was all shocked when we'd be meeting again 'cause then she was telling me to wait until I read the letter then. Gomen, I already read it. I enjoyed myself that day, really. I'm so glad I'm meeting them again. I'm making them all handkerchiefs (before you laugh people actually use them everyday here).

The next day I actually started packing. I have one suitcase done but kapibara-san is inside it... so I think I may have to repack it.

Then I went to Tokyo with Kayo to see some some-what famous person that she really likes in a drama. So I took my picture with him, held his hand, and that's it. But Kayo has the picture since I didn't need it and she wanted it anyway. The guy's name is Daisuke Watanabe. I know absolutely NOTHING about him.
I didn't even think about it at the time when I agreed to go that it would be my last time in Tokyo. In any case, I wanted to buy a backpack for the plane since I'd have a lot of stuff I'd want to carry for the 8 hour wait in Chicago. Found a cute one and I also ended up buying a used version of yes, the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days DS game. Yes, I now have it in my possession and I am playing it. It's seriously just like the PS2 games. The graphics are great for the DS, it's great to hear voice actors(especially the Japanese ones^^), and I am amazed at the camera controls on the touch screen. You can be fighting or just walking around and stuff, all you have to do is swipe the touch screen and you control the camera position. It moves soooo swiftly and it seriously reminds you of the PS2 movements. Amazing. But I'm bored at the moment. I'm only still playing it because I want to move with the story because every time they show the flashbacks I want to know more! I'm tired of doing stupid missions(><)
The game play is a little different when it comes to leveling up and stuff. You don't just level up. You receive a level up thing then you gotta equip it to you and then you're officially leveled up. And then that stuff gets confusing 'cause there's a different thing of level up that you receive but it's not normal. Maybe it's just confusing to me since it's in Japanese. Can't read all the kanji they spit out at me and I don't understand ALL Japanese words.

I went to Shinjuku as my last stop since I've never been there before and wanted to see it. Shinjuku isn't amazing. But while there I won a Kapibara-san thermos from a UFO Catcher (woo!) and Kayo won Kapibara-san glass cups from another (yay!)
On our way home on the bus we saw some fireworks. That day Tokyo was shooting off fireworks and I saw some while on the bus. And that was my last trip to Tokyo.

Yesterday I went to Omika for a fireworks festival. That was fun. Super hot but still enjoyable. We did a lot of walking just to get there but I think I was the only person the most excited haha. Everyone got tired from walking by the time we got there. I ate the MOST DELICIOUS food I have eaten throughout my entire stay, in Japan. It's not even a Japanese food, it's Chinese. I ate it twice I loved it so much. And I had kakigori (ice cone) with everyone. That's a Japanese summer festival thing. Everyone eats it. And I ate it with my friends, happy^^. I got melon flavor and it was really good. I wonder how yogurt flavor would have tasted.

I wanted to buy a Yatterman mask but the lady said 1,000 yen. WHAT?! Expensiveeee~ And I saw 4 other friends of mine♥ 2 of them wore yukatas and they both were reallyyyy pretty. I was like wow, couldn't believe I knew them. Actually, pretty much everyone who wore a yukata was amazingly pretty. And today I realized how many Japanese people dye their hair. It's crazy.
I saw the fireworks which were great and then we headed back to Hitachi. Lots of fun, that's for sure♥

And now for pictures☆
The first one is of Ayaka and Yumi. I look like crap but aren't they pretty???? I was stunned.

















Since Friday I decided that everyday I'll wear these bracelets. Because they all have meaning.
left to right:
-This is a present from Wakako I received with her letter.
-I received this from Ikumi with her letter. She made it.
-This is the souvenir I received from my class last year when they went to Hawaii
-I received this from Banu, the India exchange student, on my last day of school
-And the bracelet with my name on it I received from English Club
















I got this from Kei on the last day. If you know the clothing brand/store Sex Pot Revenge they have a free little magazine you can take and I guess she's been collecting them. But she had 3 with An Cafe on the cover and so she gave the to me♥
















 This is also from English Club. Every member wrote something in each heart and then I received the mug.


The small picture frame is what all the san-nensei in Kyuudou received from the ni-nensei that I was talking about. The other big picture I received from my teacher of everyone from the class match. In the next Akko blog I'll be talking about the class match, it was ton's of fun. (I also received a video tape of my classmates giving small speeches about random topics. I think me and Pat were supposed to be in it too but we weren't around at the time. I can't wait to watch it when I get to a VHS player.) Then next to that I received from my classmates, everyone wrote a small message.


Then this is from Kyuudou, the san-nensei. The poster board with everyone's short message and then the huge photo album. I'm so grateful for the photo album. I'll never forget any of them♥


Asami, Tomoka, Me, Asuka (Nojiri) at the Omika Matsuri

Japan Blog 72 (July 10, 2009) Two weeks at Akko's, part 1

{From about 2 weeks ago}

Today will be my 5th night at Akko's house. Nothing THAT exciting has been happening here.I think I've figured out how most people here are so skinny. Depending on what club you're in and how you get to school, that factors A LOT. Take Akko for example. She hardly goes to club but when she does she walks there. Akko also walks to school. To get to club it takes about 15-20 mins. To get from her house to school, 30 mins. Not to mention, she lives on one of the STEEPEST hills I've ever had to walk on. Going home is troublesome just trying to climb it. Then she only eats a little. Her bento is tiny. At night she eats, but not everything. Now that I think about it though, when I get home after walking that hill, I hardly want to eat, too. You just become not hungry. But I already know that coming was a good idea. For one thing, I'm not fed as much as I was at my last house. And if she decides to give us a snack it's usually a fruit. Then I have to walk to school. Haven't done that as of yet because of rain and Class Match practice, but I've been walking home everyday. Not to mention, I decide to go to club. I ride my bike to club. Then I have to ride it back to school. From school I walk home. Exercise. I've already noticed my stomach became much flatter. Very shocked. I can't believe it took me like a year to get it like this! NO WAY am I going back to regular American eating habits. I'm not getting fat again. I'm sticking with salads for the rest of my life. No, I'm going to eat cabbage for the rest of my life.

There's a cat in the house, too!
She's not even  a month old yet and is sooo cute! She's a black cat and her name is Myu. Then Akko has an older sister, Haruka. She's a 2nd year student in college. I'm sleeping on the floor again, only have my suitcase, and Kapibara-san♥ It's nice so far though, can't complain much. Tuesday I bought the new Perfume CD, ⊿ (Triangle), and I went to karaoke with Asami and Tomoka. Let's talk about Perfume, it's a great album. You have the songs "Love the World", "Dream Fighter", and "One Room Disco" included on it and their song "Nigh Flight" from their Pino commercial. Then there's a remix of "Edge" which is great and an album version of "願い" which is better than the original on the Dream Fighter single CD. As for the other songs, I really only like 2 of them. "I Still Love U" and "The best thing". The chorus is sooo addicting but besides those 2 I don't like the others. It's hard to say which I like better. The GAME album or this album. This album has a great track list but I think when it comes to non-single songs the win goes to GAME. By the way, did you know Nocchi has a boyfriend? The singer of the band Straightener. I've only heard of the name, not sure if their music is any good or anything...
This is Myu♥ Isn't he/she adorable??!!



Yesterday was interesting I think. We had gym, after our exercise with the music we practiced class jump roping. It's for the class match. You run into a spinning jump rope, jump once, and get out. The whole class goes it and they count. Well I'm bad at it. I can get in and STAY in but for how fast everyone moves through this, I can't get out without getting caught in the rope. It's SUPER fast. So I decided to stand out with Ayami and count. The teacher came over to me and asked why I wasn't doing it. I told him I'm bad at it. He then tells me to follow him. He went, grabbed another rope and tied it to a railing, told me to practice. Embarrassing, right? He's not a mean teacher either, don't worry. He made me jump through it like 3 times before he told me to stand in line to jump with my class.And I couldn't do it there either except once, haha. Then we went outside for dodge ball. I didn't mention this before I think. For the class match you can decide whether you want to do dodge ball, volleyball, ping pong, or soft tennis. But if you're either in the volleyball or soft tennis clubs you can't do that for the class match. So, everyone isn't in dodge ball with me. I find it much easier to move around outside for dodge ball, I guess 'cause your feet slide easier in the dirt.

I was doing a lot better, too☆ I was the last person for my class standing in the one match. It's scary trying to avoid getting hit by a ball coming at you from all sides. I eventually got out but I put up a fight! Then, another match with 6 kumi, I'm not sure what I was doing but eventually 5 kumi started cheering me on! I only know liike 3 people in 5 kumi and only 1 of those people are in in dodge ball. Then when I got out everyone was like, "Tasha!" in that "aw~" tone. I thought something ws wrong at the time until after school when I gave Nocchan the Perfume CD. She's the only person in the 5 kumi dodge bal that I know. She says to me out of nowhere, "Tasha, I saw you playing dodge ball! Amazing! Did you hear 5 kumi saying your name?" That's when I figured it out that it was like cheering. Very surprised but happy(^^) And that was my day at school.

I think I might be going to karaoke with Akane and others. Not sure if she made it official that she's going yet. And this week is the last week of Kyuudou Club. Sunday is the last day and our party. Next week is the Class Match, sooo looking forward to it♥ Then in 2 weeks school's over for summer vacation. Tomoka was telling me how last year during summer vacation, her, Nojiri, and Asami, at least 2 times a week they went to karaoke. That sounds like so much fun! Still can't wait for the BBQ/fireworks. We've decided to do a BBQ too, and I think we're going to make yakisoba♥ I LOVE yakisoba, yummyyummy♥♥♥
☆I got a 21 on my math test☆Only 5 questions correct☆